Blazing Regalia

Chapter IV: Substantiate Betrayal

Lainie feels something twisted from where Lua ran off too, she gets up and rushes towards it. When she gets there she doesn't find Lua anywhere but instead finds Xon who is sitting against a broken statue. She rushed over towards him and sees he's clearly in critical condition. She picks him up and rushes back to the elven barrier. Once they arrive, she quickly says the chant and enters the kingdom. Standing near the entrance is Altruice and Sinter, who were awaiting their arrival. Not expecting to see Xon in such a terrible condition, they immediately call for medics and rush Xon somewhere else to treated.

Altruice: "What.. happened out there?"

Lainie: "It's all my fault, they went into the dark part of the forest to get something I left in there.."

They realize that Lainie is also wounded, but the wound is closed.

Sinter: "Where is Lua?"

Lainie: "The girl? I don't know, she ran off towards the boy and when I chased after her, she was gone, I found him like this."

Sinter: "So she did this? No, It must've been whatever was in the forest."

Lainie: "Besides that, my wounds still need tending to, can you guys get me to a medic before I get scolded by the king?"

She chuckles before falling backwards, barely giving the men time to give her a response.

Altruice carries Lainie to a medic whilst Sinter stands guard near the gate.

A few hours pass by and the gate opens, an elf enters through and speaks little to the guards.

???: "I dealt with the dragon.

Sinter: "So that's what Xon was fighting in there."

???: "It seemed upset, but we made a deal for it to retreat to a small portion of the forest for the time being.

The elf walks towards the royal castle, eventually entering the building. He rests his knee upon the ground and begins speaking.

???: "I made a deal with the dragon, it agreed to move to a smaller area of the forest."

???: "Excellent work Kendo, how is Lainie doing?"

Kendo: "I can feel her presence in one of the medical camps, there's also a cursed human here."

???: "That's the one who went into the forest and rescued Lainie."

Kendo: "Do they need to be disposed of?"

???: "No, I might be able to make use of them."

Kendo: "I see."

They remain in silence for a short moment, before Kendo turns around and leaves. He begins walking towards the medical area, opting to visit Lainie first. He enters the small encampment where she rests.

Kendo: "..."

Kendo: "I know you're awake."

Lainie: "Ugh, why are you here? Are you gonna teach me how to not die or something?"

Kendo: "You dropped that ring didn't you."

Lainie: "How would you know? Stalker."

Kendo: "I'm not here to listen to your obsolete remarks."

Lainie: "Then why are you here?"

Kendo narrows his slightly then exits the encampment.

He walks over to a separate part of the medical camp, where Xon is being treated. Xon wakes up slightly before Kendos arrival. Kendo enters his encampment and Xon raises his head, sharing a dull stare with Kendo. Xon looks away, focusing his gaze upon his arms, and his aching body. He releases his aura slightly, pouring it into a singular spot, which he grabs to reveal his sword. He points it towards Kendo.

Xon: "I can tell your strong, you don't need to come and gloat of your strengths. You already know everything that happened to me, dont you?"

Kendo: "How observant of you, howeve-"

Xon: "Teach me swordsmanship."

Kendo is taken aback, expecting Xon to react in a hostile manner. He thinks shortly before responding.

Kendo: "That's not your curse that you bear, is it?"

Xon: "..."

Kendo: "I wont teach a thing if you plan on using it for revenge."

Xon lowers his blade.

Xon: "No, that's not why. If I can defeat that dragon, I wont need to depend on anyone else ever again."

Kendo: "If defeating the dragon is your goal, then it will take you years. It's more than just swordsmanship that you'll need to learn."

Xon: "I'll do it."

Xon stares back at Kendo, his eyes containing a small glint of determination.

Kendo: "Come find me whenever you fully heal, I wont train someone who cant even move properly."

He turns around and leaves, Xon sits and waits while experimenting with his aura.

Lainie gets up out of her bed and leaves the encampment, she still had minor injuries but she had something she felt she had to do. She headed towards the gate entrance and grabbed a spear on her way there. She reaches the gate which is still guarded by Sinter.

Lainie: "Let me through, I need to find that Lua girl."

Sinter: "Why, what are you going to do to her?"

Lainie grips her weapon slightly.

Sinter: "I don't think she would.. betray Xon on a whim like that, there must be an explanation."

Lainie: "You speak so highly of her, you barely know a thing about her."

Sinter: "And neither do you, I just think you should give her a chance, to explain."

Lainie walks past him, says the chant, and exits the kingdom. Immediately, she sprints forward looking for Lua, since she no longer has the curse, Lainie cannot sense her as easily as before, but its still possible. Lainie roams aimlessly around the forest for hours, before she decides to check one last spot before returning home. She heads towards the statue she found Xon at, opting not to check there because she didn't believe Lua would have the guts to remain anywhere nearby. Lainie approaches the statue and see's nothing, the ruble remains the same as before. She walks up to the statue, and runs her fingers against it, it's clean.

Lainie: "Why did you abandon your friend?"

Lua slowly appears from behind the statue, her eyes screaming waves of sadness.

Lua: "I barely knew him, It wasn't that important."

Lua struggles to speak. She obviously just finished crying for an incredibly long time.

Lainie: "Does that matter? You don't just leave someone to die!"

Lua: "Then what about me!?"

Lua: "I didn't know what to do! You saw I ran towards him when he was struck! Of course I didn't want him to die! Seven went to Xon of its own free will, if anything, its his fault for traveling with me when he knew Seven wanted to take his body!"

Lainie struts forward and swipes her spear at Lua's face which she blocks with a conjured shield.

Lainie: "Maybe if you actually lost someone you cared about, you would be able to understand! You're a self-centered idiot!"

Lainie drops her spear and dashes besides Lua, punching her in her jaw. Lua recovers and conjures a large mallet which she swings at Lainie. She jumps over the massive mallet and swings, punching Lua repeatedly to her to face. Lua falls backwards, and Lainie draws her spear again. She begins to thrust downwards, only barely piercing the skin on Lua's chest before she stops.

Lainie: "He'll come looking for you, I can feel his rage, his sorrow, and his hope. I can feel it all from here. That's how strong the fire in his soul burns."

Lainie: "If you become an enemy of that boy, of Xon, you wont live to escape this forest."

Lainie withdraws her spear and walks back to the elven kingdom. Lua lost to Lainie, both physically and mentally. She lays there on the ground, thinking of what to do next.